The Risk of Love
by Laser Lance 720
Summary: After the kiss that day in the battle, Ron and Hermione hadn't really gotten the chance to talk about it. But fearing that he was letting the love of his life slip away, yet again, Ron decides that he needs to do something about it. And he needed to do something fast. He just didn't know what.


Written for **Variety of Prompts** (Location: The Burrow, Word: Hatstall), **Secret Battle** (Pairing: Ron/Hermione, Dialogue: "That isn't even funny", "You're giving me a headache", "I often wonder why I love you" – Character: Teddy Lupin – Genre: Romance – Word: Wonderful), **The 'As Many As You Want'** (Flower – Weasley – Love – "Shut up and kiss me" – Quidditch – Childhood – "After the kiss – Undeniably Beautiful – Lipstick – Lace Dress – Honey – Fighter – First Day Of School – "I don't know how else to tell you this"), **Disney Character** (Rafiki: Write about Bill Weasley giving advice to Ron), **Greek Mythology** (Hector: Write about Ron Weasley), **Music Inspiration** (2Cellos – With or Without You)

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters present – they belong to J. K. Rowling and such – or any of the challenges that I am partaking in for this – those belong to the people who created them. Now that we have cleared this up, it's about time we get to some Romione. I haven't boarded this ship in months.

-oOo-  
>-oOo-<br>-oOo-

It was in his childhood home that Ron Weasley was now facing the ultimate challenge; getting the girl. When he thought about it, he figured he had already accomplished that task whenever she kissed him that night at Hogwarts. But then again, neither of them had broached the subject after the kiss. To be fair, they had been in the middle of war, and everything had been blowing up around them, and….

The more Ron thought on the subject, the more confused he got. He apparently knew nothing of women, something his sister and the girl in question had been telling him for years. He figured that he probably should have listened to what they had been telling him, then maybe he wouldn't be having so much trouble. But while he may not know a thing about women, he knew one man who he could go to for help.

The man in question was sitting outside, enjoying a glass of lemonade with his wife. As he watched the blonde woman rise, plant a kiss on her husband's cheek before heading off into the Burrow, Ron took his chance, and slide into the other side of the picnic table.

"I need your help."

"Whatever trouble you've caused," the man smirked at him, "I'm not letting you drag me into it. I have learned that lesson."

"This is serious Bill." Ron resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the older man. "I need your help with," _pause_, "a personal problem."

"Listen little brother," the amount of mischief building behind Bill's eyes should have warned him of what he was getting into, "there's nothing wrong with you. It's natural for your body to… respond to –"

"That isn't even funny." Ron cut off the man's chuckles with a deep glare. "This is serious. It's about Mione."

"You two are using protection right?" Bill's voice took a stern tone.

"Will you let me talk?" Huffed Ron, who was beginning to question coming to his brother. "Merlin. You're giving me a headache."

"Alright, alright." Bill chuckled, taking a quick drink of the lemonade. "Sorry. But it's not every day that my little bro is in love. What kind of a brother would I be if I didn't pick on him and his girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend." Ron was disappointed when he heard the words escape his lips. "At least, not yet. That's why I came to you. I need help."

"Alright." Bill leaned forward, giving the teen his full attention. "Give me the full detail. I'm here to help."

Ron thought for a moment, his gaze drifting over to where Hermione was sitting. Her back was pressed up against the tree, Ginny and Harry to her left, and baby Teddy Lupin resting in her arms. Long, curly chest nut hair hung braided over her shoulder, the ends tickling against the baby's face. She looked so at peace, a great contrast to the ferocious stance she had up taken over the year of their searching, and the fierce glow from the Battle of Hogwarts only three months prior.

"We kissed." Ron spoke, drawing his gaze back onto his brother. "At the Battle. She pretty much jumped me. It was short, but, wow. It was everything I thought it would be and so much more. But afterwards, after the kiss… we were still in the middle of war. Didn't have the time to stop and enjoy it really. And with everything afterward, with her finding her parents and Fred, and all the funerals, I guess we just lost track of time and never really talked about what happened. It's almost like it never did. And I can't let that happen. I love her, Bill, I can't let her slip through my fingers. Not again."

"Then tell her." Bill stated as if the answer were that simple. "It's really not that hard."

"But it is." Ron countered. "It is hard. I mean, this is Hermione we're talking about. I just don't want to mess this up. I don't want to put my foot in my mouth and ruin everything. I don't want to lose her."

"And you won't."

"But how."

Bill sighed for a moment, his eyes trailing over to the open kitchen door of the Burrow where they could briefly see Molly and Fleur moving about, obviously laughing. "You want to know how I told Fleur I loved her. I can tell you that it wasn't the most suave or smooth thing I've done. I blurted it out in the middle of work. Pretty much yelled it across the floor when I saw her that day. Ticked off the goblins pretty bad with how loud I was. But you know what she did? She turned around and smiled. Came over, and kissed me. Said she loved me too. That's kind of how I asked her to marry me later on. Just blurted it out. Fumbled over the words a great deal."

"How does this help me?"

"The point I'm trying to make," Bill continued to smile, his gaze lingering on his wife in the distance before turning back onto his youngest brother. "Is that whenever it comes to love, you just have to go for it. Sitting back and doubting yourself will get you nowhere. If you love her, and I know you do, then you just have to tell her. Love is risk. It's putting yourself out there and baring your heart. It's dangerous, and sometimes painful. But it's worth it in the end, trust me. But in order to get there, you have to take the chance. You have to tell her how you feel. And if she feels the same – trust me, she does – then it'll all be worth it. But if you wait too long, you will miss the chance."

"What if I've already missed the chance?" Ron's question was just over a whisper. He looked over at Hermione, who in that moment glanced over and smiled at him as well.

"You haven't." Bill stood from the picnic bench. He clamped a hand onto the younger male's shoulder, and smiled brightly. "Take my advice, and just tell her how you feel. But remember one thing, you may be my little brother, and I love you, but that girl is family as well, and if you hurt her, I guarantee you that you won't have just Ginny and mum to deal with."

With that, Bill retreated towards the Burrow. With his gaze still on Hermione, the girl's attention on the baby in her arms, Ron could make out the laughter of Bill and Fleur coming from his home. Mustering up his courage, Ron rose from the picnic table and made his way towards where the girl sat. His hands were dug deep in his pocket by time he arrive, and he questioned his Gryffindor pride as the thought of retreating crossed his mind.

"Hey, Ron." Harry was the first to notice the ginger standing before them. "We were just coming to get you. Gunna start a quick Quidditch game. Want to play? Ginny's ditched my team and I need a Keeper."

"I'll pass." Ron shrugged off the offer. "I wanted to talk to Mione actually."

"Alright." Ginny grinned widely as she stood, dragging Harry up with her. "Have fun you two. I'll be crushing Potter's team."

The two made to leave, but not before he caught the phrase, "about time," under Harry's voice. Once alone, Ron made a move to sit next to Hermione. The girl smiled at him, bouncing the baby Teddy lightly as the child fiddled with a stray flower. As she turned her attention back onto the cooing boy, Ron took the chance to really take in the girl before him.

A light layer of lipstick tinted her lips a shade lighter of pink than Ron knew they were naturally. As always, her hair was a collection of waves and curls, but unlike how it had been in her youth, it was now a beautiful mass that fell in a loose braid over her shoulder. Her eyes were a light shade of brown, almost like caramel in the light and beaming with an intellectual gleam. She was undeniably beautiful in the light blue summer lace dress, which complemented against her soft honey colored skin. She smiled down at Teddy, the picture of a perfect mother. And while she looked so innocent, so carefree, Ron knew that under that was a fighter underneath. That was something he really loved about her.

As she raised her gaze back onto him, Ron couldn't help but think back to that first day of school, back when he had first meet her and brushed her off like she hadn't mattered. Had he known that day that he would eventually fall for the bushy haired know-it-all, he wouldn't have believed it. But now, here he was, sitting next to the love of his life, and hoping that she somehow had fallen for his dumb arse just as hard as he had fallen for her.

"So what's up?" She asked. "You're not one to pass up Quidditch."

Ron smirked. "You sound disappointed. Were you wanting to play?"

She laughed softly. "You're hilarious. Now, really, what's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Ron spoke slowly, eyes lowering onto the smiling baby she was still holding. "We haven't really gotten the chance to talk about what happened. The kiss."

"Look Ron-"

"Give me a moment." Ron cut her off, terror settling in him at the hesitation he heard in her voice. "I need to say this, and if you interrupt I might not be able to. I just, I don't want to lose you Mione. You're my best friend. You've always been there, even when I wasn't there for you. You're the smartest and the kindest and most caring person I know. And you're fierce. You're like the toughest person I've ever meet. You never back down from a challenge, and you always overcome any obstacle. What I'm trying to say is… What I mean it… Bloody Hell, I don't know how else to tell you this, but I love you."

Hermione was silent for a moment, her eyes locked on Ron. After a second, her lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came out. Teddy raised a hand, touching his fingers against her chin and transforming his pale flesh into her darker tone, but neither of the two sitting there noticed his actions.

"Umm…" Ron rubbed the back of his neck at the awkwardness. "Wow. I said it. I actually said it. Wonderful. Bill was right, it felt good. And I feel a bit better now. Not really. Kind of nauseous. Am I supposed to feel this way? Because Bill didn't tell me about this and-"

"Shut up." Hermione's voice snapped Ron's jaw shut. He turned to her, fearing the worse only to be greeted with a bright smile. "And kiss me."

That was all Ron needed. With her permission, he brought his lips down onto hers. If the first kiss had been amazing, this second one was pure bliss. He could feel the electricity rippling through them and their lips parted and moved to one another. He deepened the kiss, smiling as she pushed back against him for more.

The giggles of a baby broke the two apart. Teddy watched them carefully, as if knowing what they were doing. Hermione couldn't help but laugh, her forehead pressed against Ron's.

"I've been wanting to do that for so long."

"Me too."

"Ron, I love you."

"I love you, Hermione."

Teddy fidgeted in Hermione's arms, earning him a smile from the girl. "And we love you too, Teddy."

"Ya." Ron agreed, giving the child his finger to play with. "How could we not. The little Gryffindor."

"Gryffindor?" Hermione asked, leaning away from Ron and raising her eyebrow. "This boy is not a Gryffindor. He's a Ravenclaw at least. He's smart enough for one. Maybe even a Slytherin."

"A Slytherin?" Ron shock his head, suppressing a grin. "Please. He's a Gryffindor."

"Not according to Andromeda." Hermione countered. "Besides, with the way he uses those doe eyes of his, he's going to be a heart breaker and one mischievous little child. He's got the makings of a Slytherin."

"No Slytherin for you." Ron chuckled, patting the baby's cheek before turning his gaze back onto Hermione. "If he is, we blame Malfoy. The ferret will have corrupted him. And to keep that from happening, we'll just have to be strong Gryffindor influences."

"Either way, he'll probably be a hatstall."

"No hatstall. Gryffindor."

"Oh Lord." Hermione sighed. "I often wonder why I love you."

"Because," Ron leaned towards her, a mischievous smile on his lips, "I'm adorable. And funny. And charming."

"Don't go getting a big head." Hermione beamed as her lips connected once more with his.


End file.
